12 EU BUSINESS NEWS / German CEO Excellence Awards 2022 , Jan22386 Best Telecommunications Support Developing CEO 2022: Thomas Kress Founded in 2017, TKUC is a system integrator for cloud-based telecommunication solutions and IT security. The company currently has 25 permanent employees, in addition to a network of partners and freelancers, who cater to its medium-sized business and corporation clients. Its goal is to become one of the most attractive employers andmarket leaders in its field. Company CEO, Thomas Kress has been recognised within the German CEO Excellence Awards 2022, so we got in touchwith him to learnmore. In the area of telecommunications, TKUC specialises in cloudbased telephone communication systems and the integration of telecommunications systems with UC solutions such as Microsoft Teams. The IT security area has a focus on endpoint security and protection against malware and ransomware. Together with the solutions of its technology partners, TKUC is able to bring the endpoint security of its customer to a new level of security. It guarantees over 99% detection of unknown malware file-agnostically in 20 milliseconds. No other solution on the market can do that. The company is led by CEO, Thomas Kress, who has 30 years of experience as a consultant and project manager in the field of telecommunications, and he has implemented a large number of projects during this time. After working at national and international companies, he decided in 2017 that he no longer wanted to spend his time with the structures in corporations and acting without consequences. Rather, his goal is to give young people a chance and build a strong innovative company, together with them. Thomas leads TKUC without hierarchy, although it of course has structures and responsibilities. He said, “Our strength is our team and the internal cohesion. We have an open door policy and a regular exchange. Our processes are almost completely digitalised and we are working on an increasing improvement of the processes.” It is the team’s responsibility to listen to customers, to provide them with a service that is as high quality as possible. To do this, TKUC’s staff lead the conversation with questions, so the customer is provided with the best solution for them and they recognise the advantages and disadvantages of each solution. Thomas commented, “Unfortunately, we recognise again and again that competitors often only present the advantages and the customer is then disappointed. To avoid this, we offer our customers a test before the actual project starts.” Thomas leads the team in a style that is cooperative; he is open to change and suggestions for improvement, and he gives employees the opportunities to implement this. He said, “Employees are allowed to make mistakes, as long as they also learn from them and mistakes are not repeated. Employee discussions are conducted at eye level; I explain my decisions to the employees, but in the end it is clear who determines the direction.” With regards to TKUC’s industry, Thomas sees very different situations in its tow areas. He tells us, “In telecommunications, many companies are very reluctant to invest and optimise. Although they recognise the disadvantages of separate telecommunications and UCC solutions, they tend to postpone possible integration. “The situation is completely different in IT security. Companies recognise that they are not optimally protected with their current solutions and are open to new solutions. At this point, of course, the unique position of the solution helps us.” Now looking towards the future of the business, Thomas has a clear growth strategy in place which will see an increase in sales and the number of employees tenfold by 2025, overcoming the company’s current challenge in finding new employees. In terms of goals for 2022, the aim is to double sales. With regards to his own career, Thomas said, “My goal is to have the company operational without me in five years at the latest. I will then act as an advisor to TKUC and help young entrepreneurs build their businesses.” Company: TKUC GmbH Contact: Thomas Kress Email: [email protected] Website: www.tkuc.de
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